Separator for coal, slate, &amp;c.



D. E. PHILLIPS. SEPARATOR POE GOAL, SLATE, &o.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 13, 1908. 9Q6 28Q Patented Dec. 8, 1908 2SHEETS-SHEET 1.

114s NDRRIS PETERS ca., WASHINGTUN. 0. c.

1). E. PHILLIPS. SEPARATOR FOR COAL. $LATE, 65c.

APPLIOATION FILED MAY 13, 1908.-

Patented Dec. 8, 1908.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DAVID E. PHILLIPS, OF MAHANOY CITY, PENNSYLVANIA.

SEPARATOR FOR COAL, SLATE, 860.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DAVID E. PHILLIPS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Mahanoy City, in the county of Schuylkill and State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inSeparators for Coal, Slate, &c., of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to improvements in the type of separatorsillustrated and described in my prior patent No. 57 2,661, datedDecember 8th, 1896. In the patent referred to the mixed coal, slate,bone, etc., as it comes from the screens in the coal breaker passes downan inclined way in which is interposed, at suitable points, one or moreendless traveling retarding surfaces which move at an angle to thegeneral direction of the way. The slaty material, owing to its grittynature, its generally fiat form of fracture, and its greater specificgravity than the coal, slides less freely over the retarding surfacethan the coal, which is lighter, smoother and generally of a differentshape from the slate. The coal, therefore, passes down over thetraveling retarding surface, while the slaty material is conducted bysaid surface to one side of the course taken by the coal and droppedinto a chute arranged to receive it.

My present invention embodies, among other things, improvements in themeans for feeding the material on to the retarding surface whereby theslaty material is fed on to the slate retarding surface in the directionof movement of said surface and its inertia carries it forward in thedirection it should go to separate from the coal,in passing 011 to theretarding surface. As there is no stoppage of the slaty material, norany change in its course required while upon the retarding surface, theinertia of this material does not have to be overcome by friction withsaid surface and the material therefore moves along with the surfacewith very little, if any, slippage, and is promptly carried out of thepath of the coal. This retarding surface has a lateral inclination, andalso an upward inclination in the direction of its movement, bothinclinations being preferably about at the angle of repose for slate,under normal conditions.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 is a top plan view of theseparator; Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the same; and, Fig. 3 is anend view, looking in the direction of the Specification of LettersPatent.

Application filed. May 13, 1908.

Patented Dec. 8, 1908.

Serial No. 432,608.

arrow, Fig. 2, the supporting timbers and chutes being shown in sectionon the line 3 of Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawing, 1, 2 and 3 indicate chute sections over whichthe coal passes by gravity, in succession, in its course from thescreens to the storage pockets or cars. The mixed coal, slate and boneslides down over the chute section 1, and in order to separate the slateand bone from the coal, so that nothing but pure coal will pass into thechute section 3, two similarly constructed movable retarding surfaces, Aand B are interposed between the chute sections and ar ranged to move ina direction transverse to the general downward slope of the chutesections. One, two or more of such retarding surfaces may be employed,according to the nicety of the separation required. The retardingsurfaces consist of slabs or slats a of suitable material which willfrietionally retard the movement of the slate more than the movement ofthe coal and these slats or slabs are arranged in the form of endlessbelts mounted on sprocket wheels 5 and 6 which are secured to shafts 7and 8, respectively. These shafts are parallel with one another andvwith the side 9 of the chute, the shaft 8 being arranged beneath thechute sections and the shaft 7 at one side of the chute sections. Thesprocket wheels 6 are preferably somewhat smaller sprocket wheels 5, andthe shaft 8 is lower than the shaft 7, the arrangement being such thatthe top surfaces of the retarding belts .5

have a lateral inclination, in the direction of the slope of the chutesections 1, 2 and 3, and also an upward inclination, in the direction oftheir travel, which is indicated by the arrows 10. A driving pulley 11is placed on one of the shafts so that power can be transmitted to thebelts to keep them continuously in motion, in the direction indicated bythe arrows 10, while the apparatus is in use.

At the lower end of the chute section 1 is arranged an adjustable apronor slide C which is connected by hinges 12 to the side 9 of the chute.The hinged end of the apron is nearly in line with the" plane of thechute section 1, or slightly below it, and the free end of the apronrests upon a support 13 which is secured to a lever upon which the shaft7 is mounted. The apron G slopes downward from the side 9 of the chutetothan the.

ward the retarding surface A, so that the material sliding down over thechute section 1 and dropping on to the apron C will be delivered by theapron on to the retarding surface in a direction whiclrcorresponds withthe direction of movement of such surface. The apron also preferablyinclines from side to side, or in the same direction as the chutesection 1, and it has at its lower side an upright flange 16 whichprevents any material from passing over the side of the apron in adownward direction. The free end of the apron extends close to thetraveling retarding surface, but is held out of actual engagement withsaid surface by the support 13, which is secured to the lever 15 asbefore mentioned. An apron D, in all respects the same as the apron C,is similarly arranged with respect to the chute section 2 and theretarding surface B. The free end of the apron D is held out ofengagement with the retarding surface by the support 13, secured to thelever 15 this support and lever being similar to the support 13 andlever 15, respectively. The lever 15, which carries the bearing 17 forthe shaft 7 and the support 13 for the apron C, is pivoted in a bearing18 located on a cross timber 19 near the axis of the shaft 8, and theforward end of said lever is provided with a segmental rack 20 which isengaged by a gear 21 upon a shaft 22. Levers 15 and 15 having bearings17 and 17 for the shaft 7 are similarly mounted upon cross timbers 19and 19 and provided with racks 2O and 20 engaging gears 21 and 21respectively, upon the shaft 22. A hand lever 23 is secured to thecentral portion of the shaft 22. By moving the lever 23 the shaft 22 maybe rocked and by reason of the engagement of the gears 21, 21 and 21with the racks 20, 20 and 20 the levers 15, 15 and 15 may besimultaneously raised or lowered to change the pitch or slope of theretarding surfaces, as will be obvious. As the supports 13 and 13 forthe aprons are secured to the levers, the lower ends of the aprons willbe adjusted simultaneously with the adjustment of the retarding surfaceto keep the ends of the aprons out of engagement with the retardingsurfaces. The hand lever 23 has a suitable pawl 23 for engaging astationary se mental rack 24:, so that the retarding surfaces may belocked in any position of adjustment. Suitable guides 25 secured to thecross timbers 19, 19 and 19 are arranged to guide the levers 15, 15 and15 A chute 26 is arranged at the forward ends of the traveling retardingsurfaces to receive the slate which is carried outward by said surfacesfrom the path of the coal. A chute 27 is arranged adjacent to the chute3, and an adjustable partition 28, between the upper ends of the chutes3 and 27 serves 1 to divide the stream of material passing laterally offof the retarding surface B. This adjustable partition is hinged at 29 tothe stationary partition 30 between the chutes.

In operation, the material to be separated slides by gravity down theinclined Chute section 1 and as the coal usually slides somewhat fasterthan the slate the coal, upon reaching the apron C jumps on to saidapron and takes a curved course nearer to the side 16 of the apron thanthe slate. The slaty material which travels slower down the chutesection 1 than the coal drops off of said chute section on to the apronC near the end of said chute section and as it has not the impetus ofthe coal, it slides down upon the apron C toward the retarding surfacewithout going as near to the side 16 of the apron as the coal. The slatewhich drops on to the apron C from the chute section 1 is below theplane of said chute section whlle traveling down on to the apron C, andthe coal, sliding down on to the chute section 1 can thus jump over theslate which slides down on the apron adjacent to the end of said chutesection. The slaty material, therefore, travels down the apron C on aninclined plane below the plane of the chute section 1, to the retardingsurface, while the coal, in moving from the chute section 1 to theapron, may cross the course of the slate without interfering with theslate. This does not effect a complete separation of the coal and slatymaterial, but it permits such pieces of slate as slide down the chutesection 1 near the side 9 to pass downward on the apron to the retardingsurface in a direction transversely of the chute 1 without beingdiverted from their course by the coal passing down the'chute section 1nearer the side 9 of said section. When the material reaches theretarding surface A, the pure coal rolls or slides off of the edge ofthe belt on to the section 2 of the chute, along with the greater partof the bone, while the slate which slides less freely on the retardingsurface is carried forward by said surface and dropped into the chute 26which carries the slate away.

In passing on tothe retarding surface from the apron the slate does notstop, nor is its course changed except by the lateral inclination of theretarding surface, which causes it to take a curved course toward theslate chute 26 unless the frictional resistance of the slate on saidretarding surface is so great as to prevent the material from slidinglaterally, in which event, it will travel in a straight course with thebelt to the slate chute 26.

The retarding surface A is upwardly inclined so that the coal, whichrolls or slides freely on said surface will not pass over into the slatechute but will be checked by this upward inclination and roll off of thelower edge of the belt into the chute section 2. As

the material passing through the machine is sometimes dry and sometimesmoist or wet according to the different Veins of the mine from which itcomes or according to different conditions of the weather, and as thewet or moist material slides more freely than the dry material, thepitch of the retarding surfaces and also the pitch of the aprons may bevaried by the attendant who operates the lever 23 to suit the kind orcondition of material passing through the separator.

The coal. and bone and such pieces of slate as may not be separated onthe surface A pass into the chute section 2 and thence on to the apron Dand from there on to the retarding surface B. The chute section 2 mayhave a slight inclination toward the side 9 of the chute to prevent thematerial from all banking against the side 9 of the chute section and topermit it to spread out on said section before passing 011 to the apronD. As the chute section 2, apron D and retarding surface B all havesubstantially the same relation to one another as the chute section 1,apron C and retarding surface A, the separating action is the same as onsaid latter elements of the structure, the slate which travels on to thesurface B, being carried over into the slate chute 26, while the boneand coal fall off of the lower edge of the belt B. As the bone is anintimate mixture of slate and coal, this material has a slower movementon the retarding surface than the coal and is therefore carried upwardlyand outwardly by the retarding surface B and drops into the chute 27,while the coal drops into the chute 3. The hinged partition 28 isadjustable, so that it can be set at the proper point todivide the coalfrom the bone as these materials pass from the lower edge of the belt B.

If desired, instead of having the chute section 1 at a right angle tothe apron C, as shown in full lines in the drawing, said chute sectionmay be arranged at something less than a right angle with respect to theapron, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1. The chute section 1 may beadjustable for this purpose if desired. The adjustment shown in dottedlines would cause the delivery of the material on to the apron in adirection slightly opposed to its downward or forward inclination, whichwould have the effect of checking the slow moving pieces of slate butwould allow the faster moving pieces of coal to follow a curved path, ofgreaterlength, across and down the apron, and thus travel nearer to theside 16 of the apron.

What I claim is 1. In a separator for coal, slate, etc., a travelingslate-retarding floor inclined laterally, a hinged apron or slidesloping towards said floor and arranged to deliver the material on tosaid floor in the direction of movement of the floor, and means foradjus'tably supporting the free end of said apron or slide.

2. In a separator for coal, slate, etc., a traveling slate-retardingfloor inclined laterally and also inclined upwardly in the direction ofmovement of the floor, and an apron or slide arranged to deliver thematerial on to said floor in the direction of its movement.

3. In a separator for coal, slate, etc., a traveling retarding floorinclined laterally, an apron inclined forwardly toward said floor andarranged to deliver the material onto said floor in the direction ofmovement of the floor, and a chute arranged to deliver the material 011to the apron in a direction transverse to the forward slope of theapron.

l. In a separator for coal, slate, etc., a traveling retarding floorinclined laterally, and also inclined upwardly in the direction ofmovement of the floor, an apron inclined forwardly toward said floor andarranged to deliver the material on to said floor in the direction ofmovement of the floor, and a chute arranged to deliver the material onto the apron in a direction transverse to the forward slope of theapron.

5. In a separator for coal, slate, etc., a traveling retarding floorinclined laterally and also inclined upwardly in the direction ofmovement of the floor, an apron inclined forwardly toward said floor andalso inclined laterally and arranged to deliver the material on to saidfloor in the direction of movement of the floor, and a chute arranged todeliver the material on to the apron in a direction transverse to theforward slope of the apron.

6. I11 a separator for coal, slate, etc., a traveling slate-retardingfloor, inclined laterally and also inclined upwardly in the direction ofits movement, and means for delivering the material on to said floor inthe direction of its movement.

7. In a separator for coal, slate, etc., a traveling retarding floor,inclined laterally and also upwardly inclined in the direction of itsmovement, means for adjusting said floor to vary said upwardinclination, and an apron for delivering the material on to said floorin the direction of its travel, said apron being adjustable by saidmeans.

8. In a separator for coal, slate, etc., a traveling retarding belt, twoinclined shafts having means thereon for supporting and turning saidbelt, levers having bearings for one of said shafts, means for adjustingsaid levers, an apron for delivering material on to said belt, and asupport for said apron carried by one of said levers.

9. In a separator for coal, slate, etc., a chute comprising severalsections, retarding belts interposed between the several sections andmovable transversely with respect thereto, shafts for rotating saidbelts, levers having bearings for one of said shafts, and means formoving said levers simultaneously to adjust the pitch of the belts.

10. In a separator for coal, slate, etc., a feed chute, an inclinedapron or slide extending across the lower end of said chute and belowthe bottom of said chute and a traveling retarding surface inclinedupwardly in the directlon of its movement from the lower end of saidapron or slide, said retarding surface having also a lateral inclination.

11. In a separator for coal, slate, etc., a feed chute, an inclinedapron or slide extending across the lower end of said chute and belowthe bottom of said chute, said apron or slide having a flange at theside opposite the end of said chute, and a traveling retarding surfaceinclined upwardly from the lower end of said apron or slide, saidretarding surface having also a lateral inclination.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

DAVID E. PHILLIPS. Witnesses:

JOHN HERSKER, RoBER'r MARTIN.

